Sun Posthttp://post.mnsun.com
Local News for Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Crystal, Golden Valley, New Hope and Robbinsdale MinnesotaFri, 09 Dec 2016 17:15:29 +0000en-UShourly1Twin City Twisters coming to Brooklyn Parkhttp://post.mnsun.com/2016/12/09/twin-city-twisters-coming-to-brooklyn-park/
http://post.mnsun.com/2016/12/09/twin-city-twisters-coming-to-brooklyn-park/#respondFri, 09 Dec 2016 17:15:29 +0000http://post.mnsun.com/?p=152135Twin City Twisters, a gymnastics focused fitness company based in Champlin, is planning to build a location in Brooklyn Park. The city council unanimously approved Twin City Twister’s request for a conditional-use permit for the new NorthPark building at 10351 Xylon Ave during its Nov. 28 meeting. The 20,197-square-foot Brooklyn Park facility will be larger than the existing Chapmlin building.
“We’re really happy with the space,” said Steve Hafeman, director of business development.
He said they have been looking for another building to expand in since the summer, and they wanted to stay close to their existing facility. The area has a lot of interest in gymnastics, and they have a good relationship with the community, he said.
While Twin City Twisters has not yet signed a lease at the time this article was written, they hope to open their new facility by Feb. 1, 2017, Hafeman said.
Twin City Twisters will not be closing their Champlin facility, he said.
The outside of Twin City Twister’s Champlin location. The new location in Brooklyn Park will be larger than their current facility. (Sun Post staff photo by Kevin Miller)

Hafeman said the new facility will be as user-friendly as possible, and an update compared to their current building. They plan on building a large gallery where family and friends can watch gymnasts as they compete.
The larger facilities will also allow the gym to bring in more new gymnasts, since they will have additional space to house practices and competitions. Hafeman said with increased interest in gymnastics and the Olympics, it has been hard to open up space for new program participants.
“Half our classes fill up in half a day,” Hafeman said.
The new facility will focus on recreation programs and Twin City Twister’s Xcel program. Hafeman said Xcel-style programs are fairly new to Minnesota. They cater to gymnasts who want a less rigorous training schedule than a higher level program, but still want the opportunity to compete and show off their abilities.
Gymnasts in the Xcel program practice between six and nine hours a week, Hafeman said. Xcel programs can also help to prepare gymnasts or introduce them to the sport before they move on to higher level teams, Hafeman said.
The new facility will also feature a warped wall and an obstacle course for their Ninja Zone program, Hafeman said. Ninja Zone is a mix of obstacle work, gymnastics, dance and martial arts. It’s similar to what’s seen on the television show American Ninja Warrior, he said, and it’s good for coordination and skill development in children.
Twin City Twisters has trained some high-level gymnasts in the past. Maggie Nichols, for instance, has trained at the facility. Nichols was the 2016 American Cup silver medalist, and won gold along with her team at the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. John Roethlisberger, a three-time Olympian, also trained at Twin City Twisters. It was established in 1987.

It’s Christmas and tensions are high. The drugs and alcohol are plentiful and the clothing isn’t. Awkward middle-aged people cut loose and good intentions somehow lead to a never-ending buffet of calamities. “Hilarity” ensues.

Am I talking about “A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas,” or maybe “The Night Before?” Well, I could just as well be, but I’m actually referencing “Office Christmas Party.”

Movies like this are VERY hit or miss, but I reminded myself that T.J. Miller, Olivia Munn and Vanessa Bayer are consistently entertaining, and Jason Bateman Rob Corddry have their moments. And – worst case scenario – there are worse ways to spend a couple of hours than looking at Jennifer Aniston, Jamie Chung and Abbey Lee.

How bad could it possibly be?

Turns out, pretty bad.

Clay (Miller) runs his own branch of the tech company Zenotek. Josh (Bateman) is his right-hand man and Tracey (Munn) is Josh’s right hand.

With Christmas fast approaching, Clay wants to make the holiday as special for his employees as his late father did when he ran the branch. The one thing he has to deal with that his father didn’t is his older sister, Carol (Anison), who has been named interim CEO and is determined to make the company more successful and more profitable than ever, no matter the cost.

When Clay, Josh and Tracey fail to show Carol the proverbial money – and fail to close a new client that could bail them out – she cancels the Christmas party and forces Clay and Josh to lay off a significant number of staffers.

With the end of the road in sight for their branch, the trio decides to throw a hail Mary – in the form of a raging Christmas throw down – to both reinvigorate the staff and to show the would-be client that Zenotek is about people and relationships and not simply the bottom line.

Along the way there are run-ins with a less than reputable hooker/drug dealer (Lee) and her mentally unstable pimp (Jillian Bell). There’s a few instances of horribly forced and awkward office romances. And, of course, there’s Kate McKinnon as the eccentric HR manager, Mary, who spends most of the movie using “funny” voices and making faces into the camera.

There were two positive things about the entire movie: Miller in his role of the boss with the million dollar heart and 10-cent brain, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph as the company’s head of security, Carla.

Aside from that, there’s really nothing going on here.

The plot is recycled from countless movies before it, including those mentioned above. With the dialogue they’re given, the reasonably talented cast would have been better served in a silent film. And the attempts made to add over-the-top humor and action, felt hackneyed and forced. The fun moments are few and far between.

Simply put, if this Christmas story was being told in the Nakatomi Building and Hans Gruber and his gang of European mercenaries showed up and took everybody hostage, nobody would even bother sending John McClain in to save them.

With the holidays almost here, the nervous energy of holiday gift shopping has begun creeping into the lives of many people. Whether because of friends or relatives who are difficult to shop for, the
This Dolly Parton Barbie, cowboy boot perfume bottle, and desert notepad could make a western-themed gift.

intimidation of braving a trip to a mall, or a lack of disposable income for presents, holiday gift giving anxiety is a phenomenon most people can relate to in one way or another.

Thrift stores and consignment shops, and even some vintage stores, can offer elegant, quirky, practical, and even designer-made goods that could be gifts for the pickiest of relatives or friends. These stores can open a realm of inexpensive, innovative, creative gift-giving potential, for minimal investments of time or cash. Plus, thrift stores frequently donate some or all of their profits to charitable causes, meaning the shopping has an extra level of positivity.

The Twin Cities has many thrift and consignment shops, and the quad communities of Crystal, Robbinsdale, New Hope and Golden Valley are home to several shops. Unique Thrift and Arc’s Value Village, located just blocks apart on Winnetka Avenue in New Hope, offer clothing, housewares, collectibles, sporting goods, and other quality used items.

Portions of the proceeds are given to The Arc Greater Twin Cities chapter, an organization that aids and advocates for people with developmental disabilities.

Arc’s Value Village has a large selection of potential holiday gifts, including a selection of collectibles and memorabilia like this vintage Peanut’s bag and pair of Disney skates.

Arc’s Value Village also has a huge focus on Christmas, including a pop-up holiday-themed “store within a store” throughout the holiday season. The area features a wide variety of holiday decor and glasswear, plus a large selection of Christmas sweaters. General Manager Theresa Munoz said the temporary Christmas section is refreshed every year and stocked with donated items stored in a separate facility.

“On Dec. 26 is when we start collecting for the next year’s stock, so each year there are fresh items,” she said.

The New Hope location will host a visit from Santa Clause from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 14. The event is open to the public.

Bibles for Missions Thrift Center in Crystal is another community staple, with local residents either
Deborah Forkey with a possible gift idea in the aisles of Bibles for Missions Thrift Store, where she volunteers regularly.

shopping or pitching in to help out at the completely volunteer-run store.

The center offers a selection of gently used clothing, home and kitchen wares, furniture, framed pictures, collectibles, musical instruments, and antiques, including an impressive array of tchotchkes that outnumbers even the most devoted collector’s living room cabinets.

All of the proceeds benefit mission work in Bulgaria, and the store is staffed with a team of outgoing, friendly people who regularly volunteer their time. One of these volunteers is Deborah Forkey.
Forkey with a secondhand trumpet that comes in its own case, which could be a potential gift for an aspiring musician.

“We’ve just got the greatest items. We’ve got all kinds of toys, clothes for Christmas, antiques – we’ve got a huge inventory,” Forkey said. She volunteers at the store most afternoons where she enjoys interacting with shoppers. She can be easily recognized from her distinct laugh, and she says part of why she volunteers at the store is to spread kindness.

“There are too many people who don’t get hugs from anyone. I like to be here to give people a hug and make them feel loved,” she said, opening her arms for a warm hug.

http://post.mnsun.com/2016/12/09/thrift-stores-offer-secondhand-options-for-holiday-gifts/feed/0A holly, jolly Sunday in Brooklyn Centerhttp://post.mnsun.com/2016/12/08/a-holly-jolly-sunday-in-brooklyn-center/
http://post.mnsun.com/2016/12/08/a-holly-jolly-sunday-in-brooklyn-center/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 18:42:27 +0000http://post.mnsun.com/?p=152180The city of Brooklyn Center welcomed the holiday season in earnest with the latest installment of the annual Holly Sunday celebration at the Brooklyn Center Community Center on Sunday, Dec. 4. The event, sponsored by the Brooklyn Center Lions Club, featured a variety of family-friendly events, such as carriage rides, arts and crafts, and a visit from Santa Claus himself.
Brooklyn Center kids got a chance to meet Santa Claus up close and personal at the Holly Sunday event on Dec. 4. (Sun Post staff photo by Christiaan Tarbox)Holly Sunday visitors got to take horse-drawn carriage rides at Holly Sunday outside of the Brooklyn Center Community Center. (Sun Post staff photo by Christiaan Tarbox)The community center featured a special Holiday Wish wall where kids could write what they wanted for Christmas. (Sun Post staff photo by Christiaan Tarbox)
]]>http://post.mnsun.com/2016/12/08/a-holly-jolly-sunday-in-brooklyn-center/feed/0Dance class broadens student perspectivehttp://post.mnsun.com/2016/12/08/dance-class-broadens-student-perspective/
http://post.mnsun.com/2016/12/08/dance-class-broadens-student-perspective/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 18:19:58 +0000http://post.mnsun.com/?p=152140Heart of Dance, a nonprofit that teaches ballroom dancing in Minnesotan fifth-grade classrooms, hosted its culminating event at Athlos Leadership Academy on Nov. 30. Students showcased their new skills, performing the swing, foxtrot, rumba, waltz and merengue on stage.
Throughout 10 weeks, students learned not just dancing, but also respect, teamwork and elegance, said Ember Reichgott Junge, development director of Heart of Dance.
This learning extends to the classroom, where students learn about the countries and cultures that spawned each dance, said Andrea Mirenda, creative director of Heart of Dance. Students also write personal reflections at various times throughout the course, she said.
Students at Athlos Leadership Academy foxtrot on stage. (Sun Post staff photo by Kevin Miller)

While the courses focus on ballroom dancing, students also learn some line dancing, Mirenda said.
Educators and parents have given Heart of Dance positive feedback, Mirenda said. Teachers have reported better teamwork skills among the students, and parents have told Heart of Dance that family relationships have improved, she said. Some students teach their families the new moves they have learned, she said.
Male students in the program have been more respectful to their fellow female students, Athlos teacher Andrea Carlson added.
Deshun Sturdidant, a student in the program, said while he was scared to dance at first, by the culminating event he felt more confident in himself.
Jessica Smith, one of the dance instructors with Heart of Dance, said she has seen students learn better listening skills and the importance of visible and verbal respect through their programs.
“It’s amazing to watch the transition,” she said.
When instructors show the students mutual respect and step out of their comfort zones, students also step out of their comfort zones and take more risks, she said.
Djenane Saint Juste, also a dance instructor, said even students who do not enjoy dancing become more confident, more polite and more willing to try new things.
“They open up like a flower,” she said.
Athlos student Makenna Roseland said dancing with her classmates was uncomfortable at first, but was fun once she got used to it. She said she enjoyed getting to know her classmates better during the program.
Ideally, Heart of Dance would like to expand its presence in the state and its program offerings, Mirenda said. It would like to develop a similar program for eight-graders, as well as programs for non-student groups, she said. Such programs would include veterans, seniors and abuse survivors, among others. Jill Smith, a Heart of Dance board of directors member, said it would like to start programs in Duluth and Rochester as well.
Heart of Dance is the Minnesota chapter of Dancing Classrooms, an international nonprofit. Heart of Dance teachers train with Dancing Classrooms in New York, and learn their Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning approved curriculum.
On Dec. 11, Heart of Dance hosts its Colors of the Rainbow Team Match, a competition where more than 100 fifth-graders who have participated in Heart of Dance’s programs show off their moves. Each of the 10 participating Minnesota schools sends 12 or more students to the match.
This free event is open to the public and takes place 3-5 p.m. at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel in Bloomington. Students from both Athlos and Excell academy for Higher Learning in Brooklyn Park will be in attendence.

Contact Kevin Miller at kevin.miller@ecm.inc.com
]]>

http://post.mnsun.com/2016/12/08/dance-class-broadens-student-perspective/feed/0Young golf entrepreneur finds continued successhttp://post.mnsun.com/2016/12/08/young-golf-entrepreneur-finds-continued-success/
http://post.mnsun.com/2016/12/08/young-golf-entrepreneur-finds-continued-success/#respondThu, 08 Dec 2016 18:08:09 +0000http://post.mnsun.com/?p=152132When most kids find themselves in need of money on a summer afternoon, they open a one-day lemonade stand. Not Seth Damsgard.
At 9 years old, he and his family, who live in Brooklyn Park, raised more than $900 on Kickstarter to start a business called Golf by Numbers that makes yardage books for golf courses in the Twin Cities.
It began on the golf course. Seth has been around golf for much of his young life, he said.
“I started going onto the range when I was 3 or 4, but I actually started playing golf on courses when I was 6,” he said.
Seth plays in several leagues and tournaments, including the Minnesota Junior Professional Golfer’s Association and the Star of the North Games. He found himself unsure of the distances he needed to hit the ball to avoid hazards and improve his score. And while many golf courses offer free copies of maps of their course to patrons, they often do not have enough detail to help a golfer pick a club for any given shot.
Seth Damsgard works on a yardage book. (Submitted Photo)

So, Seth and his father began hand drawing yardage sheets, making measurements based on Google Earth maps. “It was one sheet, chicken scratchings, then he’d crumple it up into his pocket,” said Chris Damsgard, Seth’s father. “We said, ‘Well what if we go to some of these satellite photos, and draw based on that?’”
Using satellite photos from Google Earth and graphic design software, they were able to draw more accurate depictions of the courses with yardages.
“We took a first crack at our home course, which is Eagle Lake, one of the Three Rivers parks,” Damsgard said. “And this was our first attempt, and we said, ‘That’s kind of good, let’s show a few people.’”
He said the people they spoke with expressed an interest in buying copies.
That’s when they recognized a gap in the market. While many expensive private courses have yardage books that cost upwards of $20 a piece, few public courses nearby had such an option. Using their software and a little legwork, they could create their own yardage books and sell them to courses.
Before he could produce more books in larger quantities, Seth and his family would need start-up capital. So, they set up a Kickstarter campaign and waited. By July 5, the Damsgard family had raised $937, surpassing the $750 goal they set for the campaign. Backers of $25 or more received a free yardage book, and a vote on which courses were slated for new books.
The Damsgards used the money from their Kickstarter to establish and register Golf by Numbers as a business with the state. They also purchased a GPS, and later, a laser range finder.
Eliana, Seth’s big sister, began helping draw the maps. She has the official title of director of operations for the business, and one of Seth’s younger sisters, Ashley, 6, is director of art. Seth is listed as director of business development.
Golf by Numbers now has printed eight yardage books for courses in the Twin Cities metro area, as well as one in Iowa. Edinburgh USA in Brooklyn Park is among the courses in their portfolio. Along with yardages, these books have an overview of PGA rules as well. As the popularity of the book has increased, some clubhouses are ordering the books 100 at a time.
The Damsgards have expanded their business since they received their start up money. They have since partnered with Precise Yardage, another yardage book publisher. They were researching their competition, when they stumbled upon the Precise Yardage website, which had the owner’s contact information. They reached out to him to ask for tips, Damsgard said. The owner, Scott Brady, a long-time PGA caddie, said he could talk while the Damsgards were on a family vacation to the Grand Canyon.
“He ended up talking to them for an hour at our little hotel,” Seth’s dad said. “As he saw what they were doing, he said, ‘I need to hire you guys.’”
Now, Seth and his sisters draw the early versions of course maps or pinsheets for Brady, and he adds in the details himself. Brady lives in Tennessee, and makes yardage books for courses ranging from Florida to Missouri. Seth and family have drawn maps or pinsheets for 27 courses and counting.
Seth said he would like to continue making yardage books until he’s old enough to buy a car, and then begin saving for college with his earnings. He has already bought a new set of golf clubs, and uses the proceeds to fund entering golf tournaments.